J.K. Rowling's Blog, page 2

The Running Grave cover revealed

The cover of the seventh book in the Cormoran Strike series, The Running Grave, has been revealed.

In the latest instalment in the highly acclaimed, internationally bestselling series featuring Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, Strike is contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has gone to join a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside.

In order to try to rescue Will, Strike’s business partner Robin Ellacott decides to infiltrate the cult and she travels to Norfolk to live incognito amongst them. But in doing so, she is unprepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her . . .

The Running Grave will be published simultaneously in the UK and US on 26th September 2023.

2023 also marks the tenth anniversary of The Cuckoo’s Calling, the first novel in the series.

 

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Lumos appeal launched on International Day of Families

On International Day of Families (15th May), Lumos appeals for support to help more children find their place in loving families of their own.

Families come in all shapes and sizes; some families we are born with, and some we make for ourselves. Only a family can provide children with the support, respect, and love that is vital for their development.  Research shows that children who grow up in an institution, deprived of family care, often endure physical, psychological, emotional, and social harm – with effects that last throughout their lives.

Lumos is determined to change the circumstances of vulnerable children around the world and fight for every child’s right to grow up in a safe and loving family, providing the best environment for children to thrive in.

Lumos relies on supporters and donations from around the world to fund its work.  Thanks to the generous support of J.K. Rowling and others, these funds go directly to protecting children around the world.

To find out more about the work and how to help, visit Lumos.

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New Robert Galbraith book, The Running Grave

Seventh Strike novel to publish this September, in the tenth anniversary year of the bestselling series by Robert Galbraith.

Tuesday 26th September sees the release of the next in the bestselling series of crime novels by Robert Galbraith. THE RUNNING GRAVE is the brand-new instalment in the highly acclaimed, internationally bestselling series featuring Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, published in hardback, Ebook and audio editions.

THE RUNNING GRAVE will be the seventh title in a planned series of ten, the first six of which have all been Sunday Times and international bestsellers. The Strike series has been praised as ‘the work of a master storyteller’ [Daily Telegraph], ‘unputdownable’ [Daily Express] and ‘a blistering piece of crime writing’ [Sunday Times]; with Strike and Robin dubbed ‘one of crime’s most engaging duos’ [Guardian].

2023 also marks the tenth anniversary of The Cuckoo’s Calling, the first novel in the series. A year-long run of activity is planned to celebrate this milestone, including a creative consumer campaign that will revisit key elements of Strike and give readers the opportunity to share their favourite moments.

Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase a special anniversary edition of The Cuckoo’s Calling, produced with exclusive artwork, of which further details will be released later this year. As with all previous editions of The Cuckoo’s Calling, royalty proceeds of the new edition will go to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

‘It’s been brilliant to see the enormous success of the Robert Galbraith books over the past ten years and an honour to publish them. With over 11 million copies sold in the English language to date, the story of Strike and Robin has captured readers’ imaginations and, like so many others, I can’t wait to see what happens to them over the course of the final four books in the series.’ David Shelley, Group Chief Executive, Hachette UK

‘There are few pleasures richer than knowing a new Robert Galbraith thriller is on the way!  Seven novels into the Cormoran Strike series, J.K. Rowling keeps expanding her already peerless skills in crafting drama, emotion, urgency, and capturing the infinite complexities of the human spirit—in dark and in light.’ Michael Pietsch, Chief Executive Officer, Hachette Book Group.

Pre-order THE RUNNING GRAVE here.

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New Harry Potter TV series announced from Max and Warner Bros Discovery

 

 

HBO Max’s new streaming service, Max, announced today an original Harry Potter scripted television series with Warner Bros. Discovery and J.K. Rowling as Executive Producer.  The series will be a faithful and authentic adaptation of the books and will be available on Max in the US and globally once produced.

The stories from J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter books will become a decade-long series with each season dedicated to one of the seven books, full of the fantastic detail, much-loved characters, and dramatic locations that fans have adored for over twenty-five years.

A new cast will lead a new generation of fandom, and the series will stand alongside the original classic and beloved films which will remain widely available.  Produced in association with Brontë Film and TV with Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts joining J.K. Rowling as Executive Producers.

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One year on, Lumos’s humanitarian work continues in Ukraine

A year on since the war in Ukraine began, Peter McDermott, CEO of J.K. Rowling’s international children’s charity Lumos, reflects on some of their achievements and challenges of the last 12 months, and considers how to adapt their work going forward to best serve the people of Ukraine, and to further their mission to fight for every child’s right to a family – even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Although Lumos is not a humanitarian agency in the strictest sense, as soon as the war began, the charity immediately pivoted to where the need was greatest. In the simplest terms, children and their families needed food, medical and hygiene items. And as many institutions were rapidly evacuated, families needed urgent support.

Thanks to the generous support of donors, and a hugely successful public fundraising appeal, in 2022 Lumos was able to deliver:

Humanitarian aid to 13,400 of the most vulnerable childrenEducational kits to 7,000 childrenEducational equipment and materials to 28 Inclusive Resource Centres for children with special needs.30 tonnes of fuel for the transportation of children with disabilities, foster families and internally displaced families.

Providing mental health support to children and their carers immediately became a top priority.  The charity delivered trauma training to practitioners across all regions of Ukraine. Through this training, 25,900 psycho-social support sessions have been delivered across the country to children and their carers.

Moving forward, Lumos will continue to protect the most vulnerable children, with a priority focus on children who are at risk of entering the residential childcare system, particularly those evacuated from residential institutions at the beginning of the war and now living with families (whether birth or foster); children with disabilities, and the many children who have been displaced.

This is an opportunity to reimagine a Ukraine where children are not trapped in orphanages, but where families and communities have the resources and services they need to take care of children where they belong – at home. 

Extracted from Ukraine: One Year On, Reflections by Peter McDermott, Lumos CEO.    

The blog can be read in full here .

 

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New podcast series features J.K. Rowling in conversation with Megan Phelps-Roper

The Free Press announced today that J.K. Rowling will appear in a new podcast series, The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, hosted by writer and producer, Megan Phelps-Roper.

This wide-ranging audio documentary examines some of the most contentious conflicts of our time, and includes J.K. Rowling talking in depth about the controversies surrounding her, from book bans to debates on gender and sex.  The series also examines the forces propelling this moment in history, through interviews with Rowling’s supporters and critics, journalists, historians, clinicians, and more.

The series begins on Tuesday, 21 February 2023.

To see the trailer for the series, and for more information: thefp.com/witchtrials.

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New podcast series features J.K. Rowling in conversation with Megan Phelps-Roper

The Free Press announced today that J.K. Rowling will appear in a new podcast series, The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, hosted by writer and producer, Megan Phelps-Roper.

This wide-ranging audio documentary examines some of the most contentious conflicts of our time, and includes J.K. Rowling talking in depth about the controversies surrounding her, from book bans to debates on gender and sex.  The series also examines the forces propelling this moment in history, through interviews with Rowling’s supporters and critics, journalists, historians, clinicians, and more.

The series begins on Tuesday, 21 February 2023.

To see the trailer for the series, and for more information: thefp.com/witchtrials.

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Board of five women including J.K. Rowling launch new sexual violence support service for women in Scotland

A board of five women have announced the opening of Beira’s Place, a new local service for women who have experienced sexual violence. Beira’s Place is a free support and advocacy service for women aged 16 or over in the Edinburgh area who have experienced sexual violence or abuse at any time in their lives, and will open on an appointment-only basis in the New Year. It has been set up by J.K. Rowling and a board of directors who share a history of campaigning on women’s health and women’s rights, including former prison governor Rhona Hotchkiss, previous Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, GP Margaret McCartney, and director of For Women Scotland Susan Smith.  The service will be run by a paid staff of experienced support workers, headed up by CEO Isabelle Kerr MBE, and deputy Susan Domminney.

J.K. Rowling said: “As a survivor of sexual assault myself, I know how important it is that survivors have the option of women-centred and women-delivered care at such a vulnerable time. Beira’s Place will offer an increase in capacity for services in the area and will, I hope, enable more women to process and recover from their trauma.”

More details about the service can be found at www.beirasplace.org.uk.

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One billion hours of listening landmark surpassed for Harry Potter audiobooks on Audible

Pottermore Publishing and Audible have announced an extraordinary milestone – over one billion hours of the Harry Potter stories have now been listened to on Audible globally, since the audiobooks were first made available there seven years ago!  Mind you, that’s just a number (even if it is a massive one)! What’s immeasurable is the love that fans have for these stories.  To help you visualise that figure, in one billion hours you could hypothetically:

Take the iconic train journey from King’s Cross to Edinburgh 222 million timesListen to Harry Potter books 1-7 read by Jim Dale 8,547,009 timesGo through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry more than 14,000 times!

Stephen Fry, who narrates the UK English editions of the audiobooks, says: ‘These statistics are astonishing. Almost every day someone will come up and tell me how important the audiobooks have been in their lives, and it means the world to me.’  Jim Dale, narrator of the North American editions, says: ‘Especially rewarding for me has been the opportunity to touch the lives of so many young people, and the knowledge that my spoken words have brought both comfort and support when needed, and, of course always, so much magic!’

Jennie McCann, Pottermore’s MD, explains: ‘We’re so delighted how many listeners have made a permanent place in their lives for these audiobooks. The original recordings that were released on CD are cherished versions of these incredible stories, so we took great care when remastering them to deliver the best sound quality for the new generation of listeners. We’ve since produced and released editions in an array of further languages and continue to add to that list each year both on Audible and via other platforms.’  Diana Dapito, Head of Consumer Content at Audible, says ‘the evergreen popularity and insatiable appetite for the Harry Potter audiobooks on Audible is both staggering and, at once, not at all surprising.’

We’d love to hear your stories of listening to Harry Potter on audio – share your listening love on social media using the hashtag #HarryPotterxAudible #HearTheMagic

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Troubled Blood coming to BBC One this December

Picture shows: (l-r) Cormoran Strike (TOM BURKE), Robin Ellacott (HOLLIDAY GRAINGER). © Bronte Film and TV. Photo credit: BBC/Bronte Film and TV Ltd/Alex RendellTroubled Blood, Robert Galbraith’s 5th Cormoran Strike novel, is coming to BBC One in a 4 part adaptation starting on the 11th December at 9pm. All episodes will be available to view from 9pm on Sunday 11 December on iPlayer.

Written by Tom Edge and directed by Sue Tully, the series sees Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger return as Strike and Robin.

Private detective Cormoran Strike (Tom Burke) is visiting his family in Cornwall when he’s approached by a woman, Anna Phipps (Sophie Ward) asking for help finding her mother, Margot Bamborough (Abigail Lawrie), who went missing under mysterious circumstances in 1974.

Strike’s never tackled a cold case before let alone one forty years old, but despite the slim chance of success, he’s intrigued and takes it on, adding to the long list of cases that he and his partner in the agency Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger) are currently working on. Robin herself is also juggling a messy divorce and unwanted male attention as well as battling her own feelings about Strike.

As Strike and Robin investigate Margot’s disappearance, they come up against a fiendishly complex case with a psychopathic serial killer and witnesses who cannot all be trusted. They learn that even cases decades old can prove to be deadly.

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